Looking for Miracles by Lynn Bulock

goats?”
    Tyler and the goats were old buddies by now. Lori wondered how much Mike’s mother was altering her normal routine so that she and the little boy could visit with the goats every afternoon. She was grateful to her for the time she spent with her active son.
    “Looks like we got lucky,” Mike said, rousing Lori out of her thoughts. “We’re not even going to have to go to Hank’s office to make that statement.”He pulled the car into a space in front of the Town Hall Restaurant.
    Lori had never been inside the local landmark. She was probably the only person within fifty miles of Friedens that hadn’t been there for at least one cup of coffee. “How can you tell Hank is here?”
    “His car’s parked out front. And he never leaves it anyplace he can’t see it” was Mike’s succinct reply.
    It took a moment to get everybody out of the car, including Mikayla in the car seat, and to caution Tyler that even though they were going into the restaurant, it did not mean he was having ice cream at ten in the morning.
    The bell over the door clanged when Mike pushed the door open, motioning them through. Lori walked in to the welcome warmth of the place. There in the first booth was a man in uniform who had to be Hank. He looked just as she expected him to.
    The sheriff could have been someone’s grandfather. He probably was for all she knew. A burly man in uniform with silvering hair, he had a face she could only describe as kind. That was a comfort. It was his companion across the booth that gave her a start.
    The other man looked up from their conversation. “Well, I’ll be. Here I sit talking about the littlelady and in she walks to the Town Hall.” Gary’s boss stood up. “That is you, isn’t it, Mrs. Harper? And you did go and have that baby. I was telling Hank I thought we needed to put out a search party or something.”
    Lori smiled weakly. “No search party needed, Mr. Hughes. I didn’t even know you were looking for me. I guess I didn’t think to let you know what was going on.”
    Hughes gave the sheriff one of those telegraphed looks that seemed to say “Women. Do you believe this?” and Lori’s blood pressure rose. Everyone else always thought this man was so wonderful. Why did he set off her alarm bells all the time?
    He motioned one well-manicured hand toward the next table. “We can’t leave you standing up. Why don’t you and your…friend take a seat?” His lifted eyebrows begged an introduction to Mike.
    The sheriff spoke up before Lori had a chance. “You don’t know Mike Martin? Runs Martin Properties with his mother, and is one of our best fire-and-rescue volunteers. How’s that dog of yours, Mike?”
    Mike leaned across the table to shake Hank’s hand, and made his hellos to Hughes, as well. “Just fine, Hank. And we’ve met, but not so Mr. Hughes would probably remember me. What’s your connection with Lori?”

    His stern expression made Lori feel like he was grilling the other man. Or maybe she was the one on the spot. She hadn’t thought to tell Mike about Gary’s boss and his ownership of the trailer they were renting. Before Hughes could answer, something dawned on her.
    “Mr. Hughes owns the trailer we rent, Mike. And he may have been checking up on us. This whole trip into town might be a waste of time after all.”
    “It’s your place?” Mike’s normally friendly brown eyes were narrow. He didn’t seem to have much more use for Hughes than Lori did.
    “Sure. Not much else out there on that patch of land I got from my uncle. He left me the place when he passed on a couple of years ago.” Hughes smiled and Lori was reminded of something reptilian. Why didn’t anybody else see the man that way?
    “So you rented it to the Harpers?”
    “When Gary came to work for me. You did know he was working delivery for me at the feed store, didn’t you? When he had his, uh, accident I thought the least I could do was let Lori and the little boy stay for six